Michael Fassbender is the kind of actor who seems built to be either a character actor or a leading man. His incredible versatility makes him a compelling presence in any film, and he has worked with some impressive filmmakers on many high-profile projects.
While Fassbender has certainly earned considerable praise from critics over the years, he is just as popular with audiences. With a nice mix of smaller projects, award-winning films and big blockbusters, Fassbender’s filmography is a collection of fantastic work. Here are Michael Fassbender’s best movies according to IMDb.
Steve Jobs (2015) - 7.2
Steve Jobs is one of the most influential figures in modern society, so it must have been a daunting experience for Fassbender to play him on the big screen. The film is a unique look at the icon told in three separate stories in which Jobs deals with various important people in his life while preparing to launch some new ideas to the world.
Fassbender is fantastic as Jobs, playing him at three different times in his life and showing his subtle evolution as a man. The script by Aaron Sorkin is witty and moving and the supporting cast backs up Fassbender beautifully.
Shame (2011) - 7.2
Fassbender has had a very successful professional relationship with director Steve McQueen as they have collaborated on three stunning films. Shame is their second movie together, which stars Fassbender as a sex addict whose life is thrown upside down when his estranged sister comes back into his life.
Fassbender is mesmerizing as the tortured and withdrawn man. The movie does an incredible job of removing any sexiness from the story, making it feel raw and uncomfortable. It is one of the most harrowing films about addiction.
Fish Tank (2009) - 7.3
Before Fassbender became a huge star, he made a name for himself in smaller independent films like Fish Tank. The British drama follows a young troubled teen with dreams of becoming a dancer. Her complicated world is made more complicated with her growing friendship with her mom’s new boyfriend, played by Fassbender.
Fassbender takes what could be a black-and-white character and makes him complex. We are charmed by him one moment and disgusted another. The small drama has an authentic feel and is led by a powerful performance from Katie Jarvis.
Jane Eyre (2011) - 7.3
Fassbender has that rare quality as an actor to feel perfectly suited to stories of any era, which means he’s been cast in more than a few period pieces. Jane Eyre is the adaptation of the classic novel by Charlotte Brontë, and stars Mia Wasikowska as a young woman who begins working for the mysterious Mr. Rochester (Fassbender), and begins to learn of his dark secrets.
This is the type of role that perfectly shows off Fassbender’s skills. He is both seductive and frightening as the withdrawn man. Wasikowska is also a powerful lead in this dark, gothic period drama.
Hunger (2008) - 7.6
Hunger was the first collaboration between Fassbender and Steve McQueen, and served as a great example of the stunning work they could do together. The film is based on the true story of Bobby Sands, an inmate at a prison in Northern Ireland who led a hunger strike in the early 1980s.
Fassbender became a talent that could not be ignored. His performance is raw, emotional, and grounded. The film itself is an uncomfortable yet powerful exploration of what people are capable of when fighting for something they believe in.
300 (2006) - 7.6
Fassbender continued to make a name for himself in Hollywood by joining this stylish comic book adaptation. Directed by Zack Snyder, 300 is an over-the-top retelling of the real-life Battle of Thermopylae where the extremely outnumbered Spartans held off the invading Persian army. Fassbender plays Stelios, one of the most fearsome Spartan warriors.
The movie is not concerned with historical accuracy; instead, it focuses on delivering a wild and thrilling action blockbuster. The intense energy of the film is engrossing, and the battle sequences are all-out crazy fun.
X-Men: First Class (2011) - 7.7
As with many actors these days, when Fassbender started to get some real attention, he joined the superhero genre. Fassbender had the difficult task of taking over from Ian McKellen as Magneto opposite a James McAvoy as Charles Xavier in the story of their friendship and the beginning of the X-Men.
The prequel proved to be a clever way of rebooting the X-Men franchise with some new blood. The actors all do great, reimagining these iconic characters and the Cold War-era setting makes for a great thriller. Fassbender is especially impressive as the vengeful, Nazi-hunting mutant.
X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014) - 8.0
While the MCU was busy building their cinematic universe, the X-Men franchise attempted its own ambitious crossover. Days of Future Past found the original X-Men cast in a future in which mutants are being hunted. In order to save their species, Wolverine is sent back in time to get help from younger Xavier and Magneto.
The inventive combination of the two timelines was a gamble that paid off. It was an exciting time travel adventure that was filled with some hugely entertaining sequences. It made for a satisfying conclusion to one timeline while building a future for the other.
12 Years A Slave (2013) - 8.1
To date, 12 Years a Slave remains the last and most acclaimed collaboration between Fassbender and Steve McQueen. It is a harrowing real-life story of Solomon Northrup, a free African-American man who was abducted and sold into slavery in 1841. Fassbender plays Epps, the cruel slave master who buys Solomon.
The movie is not easy to watch but a powerhouse of a film, nonetheless. With rich imagery, powerful performances, and an incredible story, it has been hailed as one of the best films of the last decade.
Inglourious Basterds (2009) - 8.3
As Fassbender’s star continued to rise, he caught the attention of Quentin Tarantino, who cast him in his wild World War II epic Inglorious Basterds. The movie follows a group of American soldiers who use brutal tactics to handle the Nazis. Fassbender shows off his heroic charisma as a British officer who teams with the Basterds for a mission.
Tarantino transplants his trademark sharp wit and fun characters into a wartime adventure. The performances are spectacular, the script is brilliant, and it features one of the most satisfying endings in recent memory.
